


By the Book

by SuburbanSun



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Coda, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Missing Scene, Post-1x06
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:21:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22783198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuburbanSun/pseuds/SuburbanSun
Summary: Carlos overhears TK reading the Austin Fire Department manual out loud, and as boring as it may be, he likes the way it sounds.Damn, is he in deep, or what?
Relationships: Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star)/TK Strand, Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 32
Kudos: 489





	By the Book

**Author's Note:**

> My first stab at writing in this fandom, because I couldn't help myself and [Bellakitse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellakitse/pseuds/Bellakitse) is pulling us over here one by one. Takes place during and after episode 1x06.

The fire station looked calm when Carlos pulled up in his cruiser. It had been a quiet shift for him, too, which was a luxury he was always grateful for whenever it happened. In his line of work, boredom was never a bad thing.

He walked in through the open doors of the truck bay, spotting Judd and a few firefighters he didn’t know very well. 

“Hey, Judd,” he called out, waving to him. “Captain Strand around?”

Judd just nodded and pointed upstairs, then gestured down at his phone. Carlos hadn’t realized he’d been on a call. 

The upstairs area was quiet too; he spotted a few people working out when he walked past the gym, and someone he didn’t recognize stood in the kitchen making a sandwich. 

“Officer,” the man greeted him, and Carlos nodded back. He was about to ask the man if Captain Strand was in his office when he heard it.

“...burning of clean petroleum products, natural gas, methane, or propane for fire extinguisher training is exempt under 326 IAC 4-1 and does not require prior approval or notification as long as the following conditions are met.” TK’s voice was unmistakable, and it came from the couch in the common area. Carlos followed the sound, careful not to let his footsteps give him away. 

TK took a breath, then continued. “Number one: the local fire department and health department must be notified at least 24 hours in advance of the date, time, and location of the burning.” Carlos smirked when TK came into view, at the way he was sprawled out across the couch, a textbook open on his chest and his phone sitting on top of it. His eyes were half shut, and it looked like he’d been there awhile. He took another deep breath. “Number two—”

“And here I thought you’d already passed your firefighter exam,” Carlos said, taking a few steps into the room. TK looked surprised to see him— surprised, but pleased, and the way he grinned up at him made Carlos feel immediately warm inside. 

“Oh, I aced it. With flying colors,” TK said, swinging his legs off the couch and sitting all the way up, but still casually slouched on the sofa. “Almost out-scored my dad, even. Came within three points of him.” 

“Impressive,” Carlos deadpanned. 

TK cocked his head back and touched the tip of his tongue to his teeth, then gestured at the now-empty cushion beside him. “Wanna sit?”

Carlos glanced around, but figured the paperwork he had to deliver to Captain Strand could wait a few minutes. And anyway, he was off duty; he’d volunteered to drop it by after his shift. And if he’d known TK would be on the clock when he’d offered, well, Sergeant Andrews didn’t need to be made aware of that. 

“To what do we owe the pleasure, Officer Reyes?” TK asked as Carlos sat down, his voice low and criminally smooth. 

Carlos quirked an eyebrow, holding up the folder in his hand. “Got some paperwork from the station that needs the captain’s signature.” Then, changing the subject: “What’s with the study session?”

“Oh, it’s not for me. Probie— Mateo— he’s got his exam coming up, and Marjan has us all recording ourselves reading sections of the manual to help him prep.” He ran his thumb along the corner of the thick book in his lap, fluttering the pages. Carlos’ eyes followed the motion. “This way, he can listen to our dulcet tones reading about smoke tolerance and burn variance as he goes to sleep at night.”

“That’s nice of her to organize that.” 

TK looked down at his lap, a soft smile on his face. “Yeah, well. We look out for each other.” 

Carlos nodded. “I’m glad.” He shifted on the couch so his knees were angled toward TK, his arm resting on the back of it, and looked at him expectantly. “Well? Don’t stop on my account.” 

TK chuckled, leaning back so his shoulders just brushed against Carlos’ arm. Then he raised an eyebrow. “Wait, seriously? You want me to keep going?” 

“Sure,” Carlos said with a shrug. “I like the sound of your voice.” TK blinked at him, a bit of his confident demeanor slipping before he caught himself and smirked. 

“Oh, yeah?” He swayed a little closer to Carlos, mischief glinting in his eyes. “You do, do you? Maybe next time we’re both off shift, I can come over and read to you, then.” 

Carlos pictured it, pictured the two of them cuddled up on his couch at home with a blanket and a book as TK read aloud to him. Maybe he’d put on a record and turn it down low. Light a few candles. He shook himself out of the fantasy, refocusing on TK. Damn, was he in deep.

“I think that sounds like a nice date,” he said, tilting his head to the side. “You work Tuesday?” 

TK licked his lips, and a slow smile grew on his face. “Off at 9.”

Carlos nodded. “Stop by whenever. I’ll pick out a few books.” He nudged TK’s knee with his own. “Unless you want to bring the Austin Fire Department Academy Manual. You know, in case you need another quick refresher.” 

“Ah— no. Soon as Probie’s passed his test, this is going back on the shelf for good. I know my shit.” 

“I’ll pick out something a little livelier, then,” Carlos said, standing up. “I’ve gotta…” He gestured toward the captain’s office with his folder. 

“Oh, yeah, he should be in there,” TK said. 

As he was about to turn the corner, Carlos glanced back. “So… Tuesday?” 

TK looked up at him from the sofa, a fond smile on his face that felt to Carlos like a promise. He was really starting to get hooked on that smile.

“I’ll make sure to do some vocal warmups on the ride over,” TK said with a wink, and Carlos laughed, tapping the doorframe twice on his way through it. 

Yep. He was in deep.

  
  


—

  
  


“Hey, man,” Mateo said, clapping TK on the shoulder as he entered the station’s kitchen. “Thank you again. I never would’ve passed that thing if you guys hadn’t helped me out like that.” 

“Nah, you’d’ve gotten there anyway,” TK said. He opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. “We just helped you get there a little quicker.” He took a long gulp, then turned back to Mateo and leaned against the counter. “How was it, anyway? Having our voices in your ears all day? That’s gotta be weird, right?”

Mateo laughed. “It was weird at first, but I got used to it.” He frowned. “Except for this one part.” 

“What was that?” 

He cocked his head quizzically. “In the section you were reading about open burn guidelines, all of a sudden it just cut to you flirting with Officer Reyes for like, fifteen straight minutes. But other than that— totally normal.” He put on an innocent expression. “Today’s Tuesday. Got any big plans for tonight?” 

TK groaned, letting his head fall back to thud against a cabinet door behind him. He was never going to hear the end of it. 

As Mateo kept teasing him, TK let his mind drift to Carlos, and the way he’d looked at him when he’d invited him over. The way he’d be waiting for him at his apartment in just a few hours. 

Yeah, TK was never going to hear the end of it. That was a given.

But he thought it might be worth it. 

**Author's Note:**

> Want to hang out on tumblr? I'm [unbreakablejemmasimmons](https://unbreakablejemmasimmons.tumblr.com/) over there!


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